-
ScienceSpaceSolar Orbiter Spots Previously Unknown ‘Campfires’ on the Sun
The closest images ever taken of the Sun have revealed a never-before-seen stellar phenomenon. Dubbed “campfires,” these bright spots could solve a longstanding mystery about the Sun’s scorching outer layers. The Solar Orbiter project hasn’t officially entered into the science phase of its mission, yet it’s already producing some mind-bending results. The probe, a collaboration … Continued
-
ScienceSpaceThe Sun Can Spawn Dangerous ‘Superflares,’ New Research Suggests
High-energy superflares are typically associated with young, quickly rotating stars, but new evidence suggests mature, plodding stars like our own can still churn out the odd superflare. Stars located hundreds of light-years away sometimes belch out bursts of energy powerful enough to be detected by astronomers here on Earth. Known as superflares, they’re like normal-strength … Continued
-
ScienceSpaceKazakh Meteorite Reveals Signs of Ancient Solar ‘Superflare’
Scientists have found evidence of an ancient solar “superflare” hidden in a meteorite that was first found in Kazakhstan in 1962, according to a new paper. Meteorites here on Earth can be useful for telling the story the Solar System’s history, specifically through the elements they contain. By analyzing the Efremovka meteorite, a pair of … Continued
-
ScienceSpace
An Earth-Sized Space Shield to Protect Us From Solar Storms Is Less Crazy Than It Sounds
Every 100 years or so, our Sun gives off a great big belch that sends an intense wave of charged particles towards Earth. This wasn’t a problem in the past, but our high-tech civilization is now disturbingly vulnerable to these solar storms. A new study quantifies the economic risks posed by these extreme solar storms, … Continued
-
ScienceSpace
Why Has Our Sun Been Freaking Out So Much Lately?
Since early last week, the Sun has belched out a steady stream of solar flares, including the most powerful burst recorded in the star’s current 11-year cycle. It sounds very alarming, but scientists say this is simply what stars do every now and then, and that there’s nothing to be concerned about. Solar flares are … Continued
-
ScienceSpace
Huge Solar Flare Disrupts GPS Satellites
The Sun’s impact on weather here on Earth is clear: It makes it hot or cold, it powers air currents, it causes water to evaporate making rain, et cetera. But with our increasing reliance on satellites and electronics, you can’t forget its more insidious effects—and some satellites got a taste of those yesterday. Around 5:10 … Continued
-
ScienceSpaceWhat a Giant Solar Flare Would Look Like Next to Earth
If a solar flare really took place that close to Earth, it would mean the end of days on our little planet. But seeing that flare erupt right next to us sure does show us just how powerful these things really are. This image of a particularly giant solar flare was created by the ESA. … Continued
By Ria Misra -
ScienceSpace
This Stormy Star Means Alien Life May Be Rarer Than We Thought
There’s a red dwarf about 35 light-years from here that’s spewing powerful, life crushing solar flares into space. These types of stellar objects are fairly common, leading to speculation that our galaxy is less habitable than we thought. Of the estimated 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy, about three-quarters are red dwarfs. That’s … Continued
-
io9Here Are All the Different Ways the Sun Can Explode
Our sun may look relatively constant from our far away perch on Earth, but up close it’s a busy place, full of plasma activity, shifting magnetic fields, and, yes, even explosions. Here are the different kinds of solar explosions you might see, and how to tell the difference between them. NASA put together this guide … Continued
By Ria Misra -
io9
These Giant Solar Flares Erupted From The Sun This Morning
This morning, astronomers observed an incredibly powerful x-class solar flare erupting from the sun, only to be surprised by what they saw happen just about an hour later: a second x-class flare. Image: The first solar flare (left) and the second (right) / NASA – SDO Just what do two of the most intense class … Continued
By Ria Misra -
io9Aurora Borealis during a solar flare is the very best kind of madness
This may be the most amazing shot of the northern lights, yet. Check out the way they’re moving — that’s no timelapse, this video was shot in realtime. So, why are the northern lights moving so quickly in this shot? It has to do with an increase in activity on the sun. Phil Plait over … Continued
By Ria Misra -
io9The Sun has been completely manic this week
It’s been a remarkable week of solar activity. Astronomers recorded several coronal mass ejections this week, including three that are currently hitting the Earth’s magnetic field. An exquisite image of one of this week’s many flares can be seen below. Above video: Unrelated to this week’s solar events, NASA released a spectacular video of a … Continued
-
io9
Cosmic Mystery: Why did this spinning star suddenly slow down?
Why would a spinning star suddenly slow down? Even after writing a scientific paper about the phenomenon, astronomers still appear to be in shock-and-awe mode about what they saw. Top image: Artist’s conception of a neutron star flare. Credit: University of California Santa Cruz “I looked at the data and was shocked — the … … Continued
Elizabeth Howell - Universe Today -
ScienceSpace
The Sun Just Shot Off the Biggest, Most Spectacular Solar Flare of the Year
Early this morning, while most of us were resting peacefully in our beds, everyone’s favorite flaming ball of plasma decided to give NASA’s cameras a little show. More specifically, the Solar Dynamics Observatory managed to capture our sun’s biggest solar flare of the year thus far. Classified as an M6.5, it’s not the hugest solar … Continued
